WHAT IS BALLAST.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14349, 8 May 1912, Page 11

WHAT IS BALLAST.

THE TONGAHIRO'S COLLISION*. ] (FROM'-OCR ,OWX CORItE9r-ONX>KNT.) ...LONDON, March 29.' .• 'In October laat the Xew Zealand Shipping CWmpiriy's '■■ Tongarifo, hrivinj? been. -up to Xewriiatlo for coal 'for- the - "voyage- U> ■ NewZealand, was returning to London to clear for the voyage when she had the misfortune to .collide in a fojj' with the British ' Petroleum Company's pier at Purflcet, doiiijr'great, damage. '"-' . . ,:'. :' '■ ■■'. '■ . . .The Petroleum. Company, of course, sued for damages, and the Xew Zealand ShippingCompany put up the <lefencc that the vessel was at. the lirno under compulsory pilotage and.that tho accident was solely tho fnu.lt of the pilot.. The xjlaintiffs coiiWcd this on tho" ground that the Tonjrariro, being merely in ballast, wag exempt from the compulsory pilotapo provisions. Mr Justice Bargravo Deane found for the Petroleum Company. The question, ho said, ; ■was whether a vessel -which was carrying more than eougli coal' to take her from ono port to.another was really in ballast. The Tongariro was only down three-oighth s of hendead 'weight—.lsso tons out of 10,000 tons— and there was nothing on board earning freight ', She .had taken the coal on at New-' castle for her voyage to'Xew Zealand, but she had to dear from, London, Bunker coals must surely be classed as stores. As a. matter' of fact aho would require more than she had taken' on board to carry her nil .'the way to Port Chalmers.-The coals were not merchandise earning freight. Suppose a sailing phip had a duplicate Eet of. rails andur.-made-up canvas on. board. Could these be said to be anything but store*? From any point of view could this ship be said to bo carrying cargo. If not. «ho was in ballast. Tt was not laid down how' much ballast ihn must have—he presumed she might be loaded down to the load .line. .Thore extra coals of the Tongariro were all to be consumed in her own furnaces, and he hold her to he in ballast. * Judgment waa tlierefore for" the plaintiffs.